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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 2, 2013 03:22 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Rob Teplitz and Sen. Anthony H. Williams |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Pay Equity |
| In the near future, we plan to introduce legislation that will amend Act 694 of 1959, known as the Equal Pay Law. Despite recent successes in establishing equality in the workplace, working women still face a significant gender wage gap. In Pennsylvania, women are paid 77 cents for every dollar paid to men. This adds up to a yearly gap of $10,867 between men and women who work full time in this commonwealth. With over 500,000 households in the Commonwealth headed by women, the economic securities of these women, and the children who depend on them, are at risk. This bill will strengthen Pennsylvania law to eliminate the gender wage gap by increasing the protection to employees who have filed a complaint against an employer and prohibiting retaliation against employees for discussing wages (“pay secrecy”). In addition, this legislation will close the “factor other than sex” defense to apply only to bona fide business related factors. Bona fide factors other than sex include education, training, or experience. In order to file a complaint, a plaintiff must still identify a comparable employee who makes more money for performing equal work, requiring effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions. This bill is part of the Pennsylvania Agenda for Women’s Health, a comprehensive proposal to address the real health issues affecting Pennsylvania women today. We ask you to join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation. |
Introduced as SB1212